Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Citing the Supreme Court ruling in Vihaan Kumar vs State of Haryana, the court held that an arrest is illegal if its grounds are not clearly communicated, and granted bail to Sonam.
The order followed a sharp clash between the defence and prosecution over alleged lapses in her arrest and detention. The defence argued that Sonam had been in pre-conviction detention for over two months without progress in trial and that police failed to provide mandatory grounds of arrest, violating her rights under Article 22(1).
The prosecution opposed the plea as belated, stating that charges had already been framed. It argued that the signed arrest memo created a presumption that Sonam had been informed of the grounds of arrest and termed unticked checkboxes a minor procedural irregularity.
Examining records, the court found that all documents cited Section 403(1) BNS instead of Section 103(1) BNS. Rejecting the clerical error claim, it held that Sonam was never informed she was being arrested for murder, causing prejudice. Bail was granted on a personal bond of Rs50,000.
Special Public Prosecutor KC Gautam said the trial would proceed as scheduled and maintained that the case remained strong.
Mother demands CBI probe
Talking to reporters, Raja's mother Uma, who was choked with emotion, said she couldn't understand how Sonam was granted bail despite being the "mastermind" of her son's murder.
"The Meghalaya Police thoroughly investigated the case over the past nine months, but it was beyond our understanding how the game suddenly changed in a month or two," she said.
"We only demand one thing from the government - justice for my innocent son, who was murdered. I want a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into this case," she added.
The case so far
Raja Raghuvanshi went missing on May 23, 2025. His mutilated body was found nine days later near a waterfall in Sohra, Meghalaya. Police arrested eight people — five for murder, three for destruction of evidence — and filed a 700-page chargesheet alleging the killing was premeditated by Sonam and her alleged paramour Raj Kushwaha, carried out through three hired hitmen. Four accused — Sonam, Lokendra Singh Tomar, Balbir Ahirwar, and Shilom James — have now been granted bail.
Family appeals to CM for protection
With Sonam now out on bail, Raja's father says the family lives in constant fear. He has made a direct appeal to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav demanding immediate police protection. "We have already lost our son," he said. "Now there is a conspiracy to eliminate the entire family."
Sonam's father walks away in silence
Devi Singh was present in the Shillong court during the proceedings. When reporters approached him for a reaction, he ignored every question and left the premises without uttering a word.
Will not stay with Sonam in same house: Brother
Sonam's brother Govind Raghuvanshi told the media: "I have learned that Sonam was granted bail, though we are still awaiting the official court order. We currently rely on a government-appointed lawyer, so I am unsure of the exact timing of her release or where she will stay."
"I previously informed Raja's family that my visit to the jail was strictly for paperwork. I want to be clear: she will not be staying in my house. If my parents decide to bring her home, I will move out," Raghuvanshi said.
He further stated: "There is a legal process in place. If Raja’s family chooses to challenge this bail in the High Court, I will not oppose them."
Timeline
May 11: Sonam and Raja Raghuvanshi are married.
May 20: The couple travels from Indore to Meghalaya for their honeymoon.
May 22: The couple departs for a trip to Sohra. In the evening, they explore Mawlyngkhot village and head toward the Double Decker Living Root Bridge in Nongriat village with the help of a guide.
May 23: The village headman informs the police of an abandoned Activa, with the keys still in the ignition, parked near the Golden Pines Dhaba.
June 2: Raja’s body is discovered deep within a gorge.
June 3: The post-mortem report confirms that Raja was murdered; the injuries were caused by a sharped edged weapon.
June 4: Raja’s remains are brought back to his hometown, Indore.
June 9: Sonam is located at a dhaba in Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh. Meghalaya Police reveal her alleged involvement in her husband's murder.
June 10: Shillong Police take Sonam and four other accused individuals into custody via transit remand and arrive in Meghalaya.
June 11: All accused, including Sonam, are produced before the ADJ Court in Shillong. They are remanded to police custody for 8 days.
June 21: Police arrest the building contractor, Shilam James.
June 22: Police arrested the building owner, Lokendra Singh Tomar, in Gwalior and the security guard, Balveer, in Ashoknagar.
October 29: Formal charges are framed against five accused, including Sonam Raghuvanshi and her lover, Raj.
